Illinois Declines to Expand Medical Marijuana Conditions List

Illinois will not expand the list of conditions that qualifies people to get medical marijuana, Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration announced Friday.

The announcement came despite pleas from patient advocates and medical marijuana business owners who say they need more patients to make the industry viable in the state. So far, only about 4,000 people have been approved to use the drug, far below early estimates.

The decision was announced by the Illinois Department of Public Health’s director, Dr. Nirav Shah.

Melaney Arnold, department spokeswoman, said the program “remains in its early stage.”